Device for conveying rod-shaped objects and especially cigarettes

ABSTRACT

A device for conveying rod-shaped objects and especially cigarettes, comprising a first endless-belt conveyor element so arranged that the objects deposited on the external face of a predetermined portion of the said element are maintained thereon under the action of forces which are directed towards the interior of the said element, at least one second endless-belt conveyor element having one section substantially parallel to one section of said first element and moving in the same direction as said predetermined section, the distance between the said two sections being substantially equal to the thickness of said objects, means for applying to the objects located between said two sections forces directed towards the interior of said second element and means for varying the intensity of the forces which are directed towards the interior of at least one of said elements in order to initiate the transfer of objects from one element to the other.

United States Patent Anfossi et al. 1 Jan. 23, 1973 541 DEVICE FOR CONVEYING ROD- 3,472,358 10/1969 Poupin ..l98/44 SHAPED OBJECTS AND ESPECIALLY CIGARETTES Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerJohnny D. Cherry [75] Inventors: Henri Anfossi, Orleans; Raymond Poupin, Fleury-les-Aubrais, both of Attorney Sparrow & sparrow Fran 57 ABSTRACT [73] Asslgnee: fi t s i g a A device for conveying rod-shaped objects and espea 3 es cially cigarettes, comprising a first endless-belt conrance veyor element so arranged that the objects deposited [22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1970 on the external face of a predetermined portion of the said element are maintained thereon under the action [21] Appl' l00693 of forces which are directed towards the interior of the said element, at least one second endless-belt con- [30] Foreign Application Priority Data veyor element having one section substantially parallel to one section of said first element and moving in the Dec. 24,-l969 France ..6944949 Same direction as Said predetermined Section, the

distance between the said two sections being substani ii tially equal to the thickness of said objects, means for [58] Fie'ld 165 applying to the objects located between said two sec- 1 7 1 tions forces directed towards the interior of said second element and means for varying the intensity of References Cited the forces which are directed towards the interior of at least one of said elements in order to initiate the UNlTED STATES PATENTS transfer of objects from one element to the other.

3,529,713 9/1970 Poupin ..l98/l65 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PA-IENTEDJANZS I975 I 3,712,455

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DEVICE FOR CONVEYING ROD-SHAPED OBJECTS AND ESPECIALLY CIGARET'IES This invention is concerned with a device for conveying rod-shaped objects such as cigarettes transversely to their axis.

The device according to the invention is particularly well suited to the transfer of such objects directly from a forming machine to a packing machine.

Devices which are already known comprise endlessbelt conveyors in which one belt follows a horizontal path and the belt which immediately follows or precedes this latterhas an upward or downward path; displacement of cigarettes along upward or downward paths is obtained by suction means which produce action through the perforations of the belt so that the cigarettes which are brought by the first belt to the point of junction of this latter with the upwardly moving or downwardly moving belt are then taken and transported upwards by this latter one by one, irrespective of the orientation and number of layers of cigarettes whichare carried by the first belt or transferred to the horizontal belt in unitary sequence and in perfect orientation irrespective of their orientation on the downwardly moving belt.

In the example of the upwardly moving or downwardly moving belt, it is possible in accordance with this design concept to transfer the cigarettes which have reached the top point to a horizontal conveyor which moves in the same direction as the initial direction of feed. In point of fact, layout requirements may make it necessary to convey the cigarettes in an opposite direction. The design solution provided by the present invention is more particularly intended to meet these requirements. However, it must be understood that the invention is equally applicable to the case of transportation along a declined or even horizontal track.

The device in accordance with the invention is of the type comprising an endless-belt conveyor element so arranged that the objects deposited on the external face of a predetermined portion of said element are maintained thereon under the action of forces which are directed towards the interior of said element and is characterized in that it comprises at least one second endless-belt diverter conveyor element having one section which is substantially parallel to one section of the first element on which the objects are deposited and moves in" the same direction as said first section, the distance between said two sections being substantially equal to the thickness of said objects, means for applying to the objects'located between said two sections forces which are directed towards the interior of the second element and means for varying the intensity of the forces which are directed towards the interior of at least one of the elements in order to initiate the transfer and diversion of objects from one element to the other.

The device according to the invention therefore makes it possible to transfer the objects successively and progressively from one conveyor element to the other.

It will also be possible to provide a plurality of conveyor elements which are each associated with one chamber and similarly arranged while beingsuperposed on the second element and its chamber in conjunction with meanssfor producing a partial vacuum within the chamber which corresponds to the level to be supplied and releasing said vacuum in the upstream chambers so as to change from one level to another according to requirements at the different levels. More particularly, the device can comprise a fourth and similar conveyor element which is associated with its chamber and superposed on the second element and its chamber, one of said elements being adapted to communicate with the inlet of a storage container in order to supply this latter and the other element being adapted to communicate with the outlet of said storage container in order to receive its contents.

In a design concept of this type, the product stream can be permitted to flow at two levels: at the first level along the path of said second element for the direct supply of, the downstream machines (packing machines, for example), at the second level along the path of said fourth element for transfer through the storage container while the downstream machines are stopped; this will subsequently make it possible while the upstream machines are stopped to supply the downstream machines with the stock which has been formed.

The FIGS. of the accompanying drawings illustrate applications of the invention in the field of transportation on an upwardly inclined path in which endless belts are used as conveyorelements.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is'a view of one embodiment for producing a change in direction or a return to the initial direction and at the top point of the device; I

FIG. 2 is a view of a variant in which two levels can be supplied in alternate sequence in the direction opposite to the initial direction of supply;

FIG. 3 is a view of a variant of the preceding embodiment.

In FIG. 1, the endless belt 1, the top run of which moves in the direction of the, arrow 2, passes around the idler pulley 3. 7

The permeable belt 4, the upstream portion of the upward run of which passes in proximity to the pulley 3, is carried by the pulleys 5, 6 and 7 and moves in the direction of the arrow 16.

In the example of FIG. 1, thetwo conveyor belts form an obtuse angle a. It is readily understood that this angle can be'either a right-angle or an acuteangle without any difficulty. q

The inner face of the upwardly moving run of the belt 4 is adjacent to the opening 8 of a chamber 9 which is connected to a negative pressure source (not shown in the drawings).

The opening 8 which extends over the entire bottom portion ofthe upwardly moving run 4 extends to a height at which said opening is located over a short distance opposite to the opening -10 of a suction chamber 11 said opening 10 is adjacent to the inner face of theupwardly moving run of a belt 12 which is guided by pulleys l3, l9 and 20 and the direction of displacement of which is indicated by the arrow 18. It is readily apparent that the chamber 11 is also connected to a negative pressure source (not shown).

The opening of the chamber 11 extends over the curvilinear portion of thevbelt 12 around the-idler pulley 13 through which the negative pressure is applied in known manner.

The top portion of the upwardly moving run of the belt 4 can also be subjected to a negative pressure by means of a chamber 14 whose opening is adjacent to the inner face of the belt 4. The shape of said chamber makes it possible as in the previous case to subject the curvilinear path of the belt to a negative pressure around the pulley 6. The chambers 14 and 11 are connected to the same negative pressure source switching from one chamber to the next is carried out by means of a pneumatic valve (not shown).

The device operates as follows. The cigarettes which are deposited on the belt 1 and supplied from a forming machine are directed towards the angle made by the two belts 1 and 4. The cigarettes are transferred oneby-one to the belt 4 under the effect of suction produced by the partial vacuum or negative pressure which is maintained within the chamber 9. When the negative pressure is produced within the chamber 11, the cigarettes complete their upward path to the zone of overlap of the two chambers 9 and 11 in which said cigarettes are subjected to suction action in opposite directions.

When the cigarettes reach the zone in which the suction is no longer exerted by the chamber 9, they leave the belt 4 and are applied against the belt 12 on which they are maintained by the suction resulting from the negative pressure which prevails within the chamber 11. The cigarettes are then conveyed along the horizontal run of said belt 12 towards a packing machine or towards a storage container which serves to constitute a buffer stock.

. If the packing machine or the storage container can no longer absorb the production of the cigarette-making machine, it is possible by means of the above-mentioned valve to stop temporarily the transfer from the belt 4 to the belt 12 so that the cigarettes continue to travel on the belt 4 in the direction of the arrow 17 in which they can either be placed in reserve or transferred to the available storage container of another machine.

.FIG. 2 illustrates one exemplified embodiment in which a second transfer conveyor 21 has been placed opposite to the elevator belt 4. In this case, the chamber of the belt 4 is divided into four separate compartments 22, 23, 24 and 25 the downstream portion of compartment 22 is opposite to the upstream portion of compartment 27, the downstream portion of which is located opposite to the upstream portion of compartment 25 ;'the downstream portion of compartment 25 extends upwards beyond the downstream portion of compartment 27.

It is clear that this arrangement makes it possible by modifying the pressures in a suitable manner within the different suction compartments to divide the stream of cigarettes which is moved upwards by the belt 4 into any one of the three streams which follow the direction 'ofthe arrows 17, 18 or 26.

chambers to be supplied, it will be possible to obtain one of the following solutions displacement of the stream in the direction of the arrow 26 by means of the negative pressure produced at 27 whilst the chamber 25 is not supplied displacement in the direction of the arrow 18 by changing-over between 27 and 25 on the one hand and by means of the negative pressure which is produced at l 1 whilst the chamber 25 is not supplied displacement in the direction of the arrow 17 by means of simultaneous changeover of the negative pressure from chamber 11 to chamber 24 and from chamber 27 to chamber 25.

ln'order toreturn to either of the two preceding states, it is only necessary to restore the negative pressure within the chamber 11 or 27 as a result of suitable switching.

In accordance with the arrangement shown in FIG. 2,

a different method is adopted for carrying out a modification of pressures. Since a negative pressure having equal values is continuously maintained within the four chambers 22, 27, 23 and 11, itis only necessary to obtain changes of displacement of flow in the direction of the arrows as shown to establish values of negative pressure within the chambers 25 and 24 which are higher than the previous values. The partial vacuum which is established within the chamber 25 has the effect of directing the stream towards the top portion of the device at which the belt adjacent to the chamber 11 directs the stream as shown by the arrow 18. The partial vacuum which is also established within the chamber 24 has the effect of modifying the direction of.

the stream which flows in the direction of the arrow 17.

As shown in FIG. 3, the chamber 33 of the conveyor 32 is not provided with compartments. I

The negative pressure which prevails within this chamber is just sufficient to maintain the conveyed products in contact with the conveyor belt. This negative pressure can be smaller as the angle a made between the conveyors 31 and 32 islarger preference must therefore be given to an obtuse angle a which makes it possible to utilize the forces of gravity to the best advantage.

The partial vacuum within the chambers 36 and 37 is of much higher value than in the chamber 33. In particular, the degree of vacuum is sufficient to produce a suction which is capable of attracting the products displaced by the conveyor 32 as they come into contact with the belts 34 and 35 without thereby entailing the need to release the negative pressure or partial vacuum within the chamber 33.

The conveyor 35 communicates with the inlet 40 of 'a storage container. 39 which has a variable volume-The above the conveyor 41..Thi's detector cooperates with its contact 47.

The operation of the device is as follows When the apparatus is set into operation,

a negative pressure is established within the chambers 33 and 37,

the belts 31, 32, 34 and 35 are set into operation in the direction of the arrows,

a negative pressure is established within the chamber 36 until the level of products beneath the pallet 38 reaches the desired value which is measured by the position of the contact 46. At this moment, a valve interrupts the suction at the level of the chamber 36 and the formed products are directed by the belt 35 towards the storage container 39.

Under these conditions, if the packing machine requires to be supplied with cigarettes, the distribution belt 41 is set into motion in the direction of the arrow and displaces in particular the products which have accumulated within the zone 44. The feeler 38 moves downwards, thereby interrupting the connection with the contact 46 and restoring a partial vacuum within the chamber 36 the products which are elevated by the belt 32 are again carried beneath the feeler 38 by the belt 34.

At this moment, if the respective speeds of the forming and packing machines are equal, all the formed products are directed towards the packing machine without passing through the storage container.

On the other hand, if the production of the cigarettemaking machine stops, the level of the cigarettes in the region 44 decreases, the feeler 42 moves downwards, is applied against the contact 47, then operates the shutter 43 which closes the outlet of the storage container and said shutter moves to position 43b.

What we claim is l. A device for conveying rod-shaped objects and especially cigarettes, comprising a first endless-belt conveyor so arranged that the objects deposited on the external face of a predetermined portion of the said conveyor are maintained thereon under the action of vacuum forces which are directed towards the interior of the said conveyor, at least one second endless-belt conveyor as a diverter unit having one section substantially parallel to one section of said first conveyor and moving in the same direction as said one section of said first conveyor, the distance between the said two sections being substantially equalto the thickness of one of said objects, means for applying to the objects located between said conveyors unequal forces directed towards the interior of said conveyors and means for varying the intensity of the forces which are directed towards the interior of said conveyors for selectively transferring objects between said conveyors and imparting to the transferred objects the motion of the conveyor to which the objects are transferred, the path of motion of said objects being selectable by selectively transferring said objects from one conveyor to v the other.

2. A device according to claim '1 further including vacuum force chambers forced beneath those sections of the conveying elements on which the said vacuum forces are to be exerted and which are connected to at least one negative pressure source and means for modifying the degree of negative pressure source within at least one chamber.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein are provided a plurality of contiguous negative-pressure chambers in the case of a single conveyor.

4. A device according to claim 3, further comprising means for modifying at will the degree of negative pres sure within each of said chambers.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein are associated with a first conveyor a plurality of diverter conveyors each including sections which are substantially parallel to corresponding sections of the first conveyor.

6. A device according to claim 5, further comprising means for adjusting separately the magnitude of the vacuum forces exerted on each of the said corresponding parallel sections.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein one conveyor communicates with the inlet of a storage container and another conveyor communicates with the outlet of said storage container.

8. A device according to claim 7, further comprising means for controlling the outlet of the storage container, said means being dependent on a level detector disposed downstream of the said outlet above the conveyor which communicates with the said outlet.

9. A device according to claim 7, further comprising a level detector disposed upstream of the outlet of the storage container above the conveyor which communicates with the said outlet.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein one of the conveyors comprises a succession of contiguous chambers provided in an even number, each chamber of an uneven order being arranged in the same manner as the first chamber and each chamber of an even order being arranged -in the same manner as the second chamber, the device being additionally provided with conveyors in a-number half of the number of said chambers and arranged in the same manner as the second of the said conveyors and associated chamber, at least one of said chambers being located in the diverter zone on the one hand opposite to the downstream end at least of the chamber of uneven order and'on the other hand opposite to the upstream section of the chamber of even order which is positioned downstream of the preceding whilst the downstream extremity of the said chamber of even order extends beyond the downstream extremity of the said diverter zone.

i i k l 

1. A device for conveying rod-shaped objects and especially cigarettes, comprising a first endless-belt conveyor so arranged that the objects deposited on the external face of a predetermined portion of the said conveyor are maintained thereon under the action of vacuum forces which are directed towards the interior of the said conveyor, at least one second endless-belt conveyor as a diverter unit having one section substantially parallel to one section of said first conveyor and moving in the same direction as said one section of said first conveyor, the distance between the said two sections being substantially equal to the thickness of one of said objects, means for applying to the objects located between said conveyors unequal forces directed towards the interior of said conveyors and means for varying the intensity of the forces which are directed towards the interior of said conveyors for selectively transferring objects between said conveyors and imparting to the transferred objects the motion of the conveyor to which the objects are transferred, the path of motion of said objects being selectable by selectively transferring said objects from one conveyor to the other.
 2. A device according to claim 1 further including vacuum force chambers forced beneath those sections of the conveying elements on which the said vacuum forces are to be exerted and which are connected to at least one negative pressure source and means for modifying the degree of negative pressure source within at least one chamber.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein are provided a plurality of contiguous negative-pressure chambers in the case of a single conveyor.
 4. A device according to claim 3, further comprising means for modifying at will the degree of negative pressure within each of said chambers.
 5. A device according to claim 1 wherein are associated with a first conveyor a plurality of diverter conveyors each including sections which are substantially parallel to corresponding sections of the first conveyor.
 6. A device according to claim 5, further comprising means for adjusting separately the magnitude of the vacuum forces exerted on each of the said corresponding parallel sections.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein one conveyor communicates with the inlet of a storage container and another conveyor communicates with the outlet of said storage container.
 8. A device according to claim 7, further comprising means for controlling the outlet of the storage container, said means being dependent on a level detector disposed downstream of the said outlet above the conveyor which communicates with the said outlet.
 9. A device according to claim 7, further comprising a level detector disposed upstream of the outlet of the storage container above the conveyor which communicates with the said outlet.
 10. A device according to claim 1, wherein one of the conveyors comprises a succession of contiguous chambers provided in an even number, each chamber of an uneven order being arranged in the same manner as the first chamber and each chamber of an even order being arranged in the same manner as the second chamber, the device being additionally provided with conveyors in a number half of the number of said chambers and arranged in the same manner as the second of the said conveyors and associated chamber, at least one of said chambers being located in the diverter zone on the one hand opposite to the downstream end at least of the chamber of uneven order and on the other hand opposite to the upstream section of the chamber of even order which is positioned downstream of the preceding whilst the downstream extremity of the said chamber of even order extends beyond the downstream extremity of the said diverter zone. 